Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Non-profit

American Constitution Society for Law and Policy

Square logo of the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy. (link) by Acslaw1776 is licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 (link)
Location:

WASHINGTON, DC
Tax ID:

52-2313694
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2022):

Revenue: $6,077,061
Expenses: $6,588,977
Assets: $5,783,763
Type:

Legal activist group
Formation:

2001
Interim President:

Zinelle October
Budget (2023):

Revenue: $8,662,200
Expenses: $6,424,305
Assets: $7,774,955 26

References

  1. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). American Constitution Society for Law and Policy. 2023. Accessed April 6, 2025.

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The American Constitution Society for Law and Policy (ACS) is a left-of-center legal activist group that aims to frame the United States Constitution as a document whose meaning shifts based on historical and political circumstances and that lawmakers should apply its articles and amendments accordingly. To advance this view, often called “living constitutionalism,” ACS hosts discussions and other public events, provides networking opportunities to its supporters in the legal and policymaking fields, and generates talking points for activist lawyers. The ACS touts its preference for recruiting individuals from ethnic and sexual minority backgrounds and recommends that its members implement hiring and mentoring practices that favor these minority groups. 25

References

  1. “About ACS.” American Constitution Society. Accessed August 28, 2022.
    https://www.acslaw.org/about-us/
  2. “American Constitution Society: What Donors Need to Know.” Blue Tent. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://bluetent.us/organization/american-constitution-society/
  3.  Savage, Charlie. “Liberal Legal Group Is Following New Administration’s Path to Power.” New York Times, December 10, 2008. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/us/politics/11network.html?pagewanted=all
  4.  “How to Interpret the Constitution Using a ‘New Pragmatism’: ACS.” American Constitution Society, December 10, 2024. Accessed April 6, 2025. https://www.acslaw.org/expertforum/how-to-interpret-the-constitution-using-a-new-pragmatism/.
  5. “America’s Gun Problem Is a Legal Problem: ACS.” American Constitution Society, March 31, 2023. Accessed April 6, 2025. https://www.acslaw.org/inbrief/americas-gun-problem-is-a-legal-problem/.
  6. Democracy and delegation in a public health emergency, December 2020. https://www.acslaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Wiley_Public-Health-Authorities-Final.pdf.
  7. Charlie Savage. “Liberal Legal Group Is Following New Administration’s Path to Power.” The New York Times. December 11, 2008. Accessed September 21, 2017. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/us/politics/11network.html
  8. Lovelace, Ryan. 2017. “Liberal Activists Fretting Trump Takeover Of Federal Judiciary Rally Grassroots In Obstruction Campaign”. Washington Examiner. Accessed September 21 2017. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/liberal-activists-fretting-trump-takeover-of-federal-judiciary-rally-grassroots-in-obstruction-campaign/article/2633618.
  9. “Federal Judicial Nominations | Brennan Center For Justice”. 2017. Brennancenter.Org. Accessed September 21 2017. https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/federal-judicial-nominations.
  10. “Soros Spends More Than $9 Million To Form New Political Money Machine”. 2015. Media Research Center. Accessed September 22 2017. http://www.mrc.org/articles/soros-spends-more-9-million-form-new-political-money-machine.
  11. Zoe Tillman. “Trump Filled the Courts with Conservative Judges. It Won’t Be as Easy for Biden to Do the Same with Liberal Ones.” Buzzfeed News. December 18, 2020. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetillman/trump-judges-appoint-biden-courts
  12. “Lawyer Chapters.” American Constitution Society. Accessed April 6, 2025. https://www.acslaw.org/acs-chapters/lawyer-chapters/.
  13. “Student Chapters.” American Constitution Society. Accessed April 6, 2025. https://www.acslaw.org/acs-chapters/student-chapters/.
  14. “Lawyer Chapter Handbook.” American Constitution Society, February 6, 2025. Accessed April 6, 2025. https://www.acslaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Lawyer-Chapter-Handbook.-2.6.25.pdf.
  15. “Zinelle October.” American Constitution Society. Accessed April 6, 2025. https://www.acslaw.org/person/zinelle-october/.
  16. “Russ Feingold.” American Constitution Society. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.acslaw.org/person/russ-feingold/
  17. Fredrickson, Caroline. “Caroline Fredrickson.” Brennan Center for Justice, April 5, 2022. https://www.brennancenter.org/about/staff/caroline-fredrickson  
  18. “ACS Supporters.” American Constitution Society. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://www.acslaw.org/about-us/supporters/
  19. “American Constitution Society for Law and Policy.” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Accessed August 28, 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/522313694
  20. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). American Constitution Society for Law and Policy. 2022. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/522313694/202313149349303511/full
  21. “2022 Annual Report.” American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, Accessed February 20, 2024. https://www.acslaw.org/about-us/annual-reports/2022-annual-report/
  22. “2023 Annual Report.” American Constitution Society. Accessed April 6, 2025. https://www.acslaw.org/about-us/annual-reports/2023-annual-report/.
  23. “2022 Annual Report.” American Constitution Society. Accessed April 6, 2025. https://www.acslaw.org/about-us/annual-reports/2022-annual-report/.
  24. “2021 Annual Report.” American Constitution Society. Accessed April 6, 2025. https://www.acslaw.org/about-us/annual-reports/2021-annual-report/.
  25. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). American Constitution Society for Law and Policy. 2023. Part I, Lines 12-18.
  See an error? Let us know!

Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 2001

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2022 Dec Form 990 $6,077,061 $6,588,977 $5,783,763 $694,994 N $5,976,760 $152,701 $0 $438,083 PDF
    2021 Dec Form 990 $5,609,154 $6,378,626 $6,124,680 $523,995 N $5,571,128 $29,500 $0 $370,190
    2020 Dec Form 990 $6,026,578 $5,485,314 $6,759,745 $389,588 N $5,993,111 $12,441 $10,773 $461,940 PDF
    2019 Dec Form 990 $8,154,588 $6,799,658 $6,297,970 $469,077 N $7,846,517 $234,049 $69,700 $513,958 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $4,948,783 $6,397,412 $4,970,952 $496,989 Y $4,152,063 $736,286 $55,826 $307,347 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $6,405,050 $5,891,120 $6,315,292 $392,700 N $5,578,738 $793,417 $17,812 $306,515
    2016 Dec Form 990 $6,524,808 $5,020,583 $5,663,707 $255,045 N $5,896,202 $609,904 $12,776 $303,177 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $4,502,142 $5,087,389 $4,075,097 $170,660 N $3,780,558 $705,332 $4,597 $291,157 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $3,575,507 $4,627,486 $4,691,822 $202,138 N $2,693,040 $867,466 $7,101 $288,769 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $6,900,044 $4,466,589 $5,726,422 $184,759 N $6,042,545 $846,266 $4,069 $274,161 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $3,182,015 $4,166,211 $3,286,410 $178,202 N $2,405,265 $764,474 $1,346 $267,158 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $4,118,918 $4,087,829 $4,401,283 $308,879 N $3,375,739 $730,749 $3,476 $435,574 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    American Constitution Society for Law and Policy

    1333 H ST 11TH FLOOR
    WASHINGTON, DC 20005-4707